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Social Security: When And How To Apply

The concept of life is very simple. Being born, going to school, contributing while you work and lastly retirement and collecting checks until you pass away. When it comes to taking Social Security, there is always confusion among many people. The most important retirement planning decision we can ever make is getting it. Applying for Social security benefit is a big step. It can however be smooth if you understand what to expect. Having accurate information at your fingertips will also help you speed up the process. This is when and how to apply for Social Security;

When To Apply For Social Security

The standardize age for which you should apply for Social Security is at least 61 years and nine months old. The sad thing is that you won’t start obtaining benefits until you turn 62. Once you’ve reached 62 years of age, you should then start receiving your benefits during the same month. There is therefore no hurry in applying earlier unless you want to avoid any lateness with documentation. The Social Security Administration states that you should pertain for these benefits no more than four months prior the date you need your benefits to kickoff. If you don’t need your  benefits immediately, you can always delay your application. This will help you increase your monthly pay outs altogether.

How To Apply For Social Security

Applying for Social Security is such a walk in the park. You can apply for its retirement benefits using three options. You can make use of the  Administration’s online application process. This is the easiest and most efficient method to use. It only takes 30 minutes for the whole process. You will however need to gather all the necessary information and documentation to help smooth the process You can also apply via phone. All you need to do is make a single phone call and provide the required details. If you don’t have the necessary details, it can be very difficult to finish the application process.

You can also apply for it at your local Social Security office. This is essential for those who feel the need to have someone around who can help them with the process. All these methods are effective because your application will still be processed as long as you give the correct information. If you use online or phone application, you will be instructed on how to submit the required documents.

There are however a few things to consider when choosing to apply for Social Security benefits. These are such as; impacts of applying early or late, or whether you might also consider whether or not you might benefit from using certain Social Security security.

You should consider how Social Security will help benefit you. This will help you figure out if it’s important for you to apply in advance or to even apply at all.

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